Temporary binder



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet J. R. BARRETT. TEMPORARY BINDERv No. 601,994. Patented Apr. 5,1898.

W @WL- WMWW NITED STATES AT-ENT' rFIcE.

JOHN R. BARRETT, OF CHICAGO, ILIIINOIS.

TElVlPORARYfBlNDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,994, dated April 5, 1898.

Application filed April 19, 1897.

have invented certain'new and usefulIm provements in Temporary Binders, whereof the following is a specification.

My invention relates to temporary binders, and particularly to binders of the class described in my Patent No. 580,361, dated April 13, 1897, in which the binder is provided with a series of normally overlappingretain'inghooks upon which the leaves of. the binder are threaded, the object of the normally overlapping hooks being to prevent accidental detachment of the leaves when the binder is opened and the leaves turned. In binders of the class mentioned, owing to the normal overlapping of the retaining-hooks, it is necessary in order that leaves may be inserted or removed that means be provided for separating the points of the retaining-hooks, and in my prior patent above referred to a binder is shown in which suchseparation of the points of the retaining-hooks is accomplished by turning back the back of the binder to an extraordinary extent, and in the construction of my said patent a stop is provided for limiting the normal opening or bending back of the cover, so thatin ordinary use the back will not open sufficiently to permit the points of the hooks to separate. When it is desired to remove or insert sheets, the stop must be thrown out of operation to permit the back to be turned back to the necessary point.

In my Patent No. 580,362 I'have shown another form of temporary binder, in which the back is normally stationary, maintaining its flat form both when the covers are opened and when they are closed, the covers hinged to the back alonemoving in ordinary use. The overlapping retaining-hooks in this form of binder arecarried by the back and remain stationary in ordinary use, the back, with the retaining-hooks, being moved only when it is desired to remove or insert sheets, in which case the members of the back are turned back sufficiently to cause the retaining-hooks to separate. A spiral spring serves to hold the inembersof the back in their normal position.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide new and improved means where- Serial No. 632,840. (No model.)

by accidental excessive opening of the bindercovers is prevented, the danger of scratching the furniture upon which thebinder may be placed is avoided, the binder can be locked in its open position for the insertion or removal of sheets, and the points of the retaining-hooks are prevented from striking the sheets. This object is accomplished in the manner and by the means hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a planview. Fig. 2 is an end view showing the "binder in position for the insertion or removal of sheets. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the binder'open as in common use. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail showing the arrangement of thev hinges and spring for preventing accidental excessive opening of the back of the binder, the spring being in operative position. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the spring out of operative position. Fig. 6 is an end View of the parts shown in Fig. 4.. Fig. 7 is a section online 7 7 of Fig. 4. Fig. SIS a planview of one of the retaining-hooks, showing the sheet and its perforations.

In the drawings, 9 10 indicate the members of the back of the binder, which members are unitedby hinges 11 12, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The hinges have their knuckles 13 on the upper side, the object of which is to give a smaller radius to the retaining-hooks and to avoid the liability of scratching the furniture on which the binder may be placed.

To further-avoid the liability of injuring the furniture, the hinge-straps are made angular in shape, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, and the members 9 10 of the back of the binder are rounded on their outer surfaces and are thickened, by which arrangement when the binder is opened in common use. to the position shown in Fig. 3 the hinges are supported at a distance from the table or other support upon which the binder may be placed, consequently preventing any possible defacement of the furniture. 3 The members of the back are connected by-a flexible strip 14, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which hides the hingeknuckles and further prevents them from damaging the furniture. v

15 16 indicate retaining-hooks, one of which is carried by each strap of the hinges, the

ends of said hooks being adapted to enter recesses 17 in the hinge-straps, as shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the retaininghooks 15 16 are beveled oif at their points on the under side, the object of which will be hereinafter set forth.

18 19 indicate the covers of the binder, which are connected flexibly to the back members 9 10.

20 indicates a torsion-spring consisting of a rod which extends through the hingeknuckles, forming the hinge-pin.

21 22 indicate the angularly-arranged ends of the spring 20, the end 21 being fitted in a recess 23, formed by cutting away a portion of the hinge-knuckle of the hinge 12, as shown at the upper portions of Figs. 4 and 5. The recess 23 is elongated to permit a longitudinal movement of the spring 20. The end 22 of the spring 20 rests in a recess 2% of the hingeknuckle of the lower hinge 11, as shown in Figs. 4: and 6, the recess 241 being on the opposite side of the spring 20 from the recess 23, and, as shown at the lower part of Fig. 4:, the recess 24 is near the lower edge of the hinge 11. By the construction shown when the back members 9 10 are in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 6, which is the position to which the binder is opened when in common use, the spring 20 will not be under tension to any considerable extent; but should the members of the back be turned back excessively in order to expose the ends of the retaining-hooks, as shown in Fig. 2, the spring 20 will be twisted, as indicated by the ends 21 22 thereof in Fig. 2, and consequently will act to return the back members to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

If it be desired to open the back excessively to remove or insert a number of sheets, the spring 20 may be thrown out of operation by longitudinally moving said spring to the position shown in Fig. 5, thereby causing the end 22 of said spring to project beyond the edge of the lower hinge 11, throwing the spring out of action.

In order to lock the members of the back in the position shown in Fig. 2 when it is not desired to throw the spring 20 out of action, I provide a locking device consisting of a plate 25, which is secured to one of the back members, as 9, and is movable longitudinally thereof, said plate being secured in place by screws 26, moving in angular slots 27 in said plate. The plate 25 is arranged adjacent to one of the hinges, and its end is provided with a fork or recess 28, which is adapted to receive the members of the hinge when said plate is moved into proper position, as shownbeen customary to make such perforations circular or elliptical; but this arrangement has been found to be unsatisfactory, as a slight disarrangement of the sheets is apt to cause the points of the retaining-hooks to strike the sheets and tear them. To avoid thisobjection, I make the perforations subst-antially oval in form, the narrower portions of such perforations being outermost, as shown in Fig. 8. By this arrangement, the outer portions of the perforations 30 being narrower than the retaining-hooks upon which they are threaded, the sheets are prevented from slipping in farcnough to permit the points of the opposite retaining-hooks to strike them when the binder is'closed, as shown in Fig. 8, the narrow portions of the perforations serving as eyes to properly guide the points of the retaining-hooks into the perforations.

It will be understood that instead of making the perforations truly oval in form such form may be varied, the important feature being to provide the perforations with an outer portion of less diameter than that of the retaining-hooks, except at their points,

so that the sheets are prevented from slipping in until the retaininghooks lie snugly in the outer portions of the perforations, as is the case in prior constructions.

By beveling oif the points of the retaininghooks at their under sides the liability of catching when they enter the perforations in the sheets is still further lessened.

. I have described my invention in detail in order that it may be fully understood; but I do not wish to confine myself to the specific details of construction shown, except as herein claimed, as various modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

That which I claim as my invention, and

desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a binder, the combination with covers pivotally connected together, of retaining-hooks carried by and moving with each of said covers when said covers open and close, the hooks of the two covers being arranged to normally overlap both when the covers are open and when they are closed, and a rod forming the hinge-pin and having its ends connected with the hinge of said covers at opposite sides, said rod being movable longitudinally to disengage one of its ends from said hinge, substantially as described.

2. In a hinder, the combination with hinged back members, and normally-overlapping retaining-hooks carried thereby, of a rod forming the hinge-pin and having its ends connected with the hinge at opposite sides, said rod being movable longitudinally, whereby it may be thrown into and out of operative position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a binder, the combination with back members, and hinges connecting said back members, said hinges having recesses 23 24,

of a torsion-spring having its ends fitted in said recesses, substantially as described.

4. In a binder, the combination with back members, and hinges connecting said back members, said hinges having recesses 23 24, of a torsion-spring having its ends fitted in said recesses, said spring being movable to cause one end thereof to move outof its recess, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a binder, the combination with back members hinged together, of retaining-hooks carried thereby, and binder-sheets adapted to be threaded upon said hooks, said bindersheets having perforations, the outer portions of said perforations being of less diameter than the mean diameter of said retaininghooks, substantially as described.

6. In a binder, the combination with back to be threaded upon said hooks, said sheets having oval perforations'to receive said hooks,

substantially as described.

-7. In a binder, the combination with back members hinged together, and normally-overlapping retaining-hooks carried thereby, of a spring for preventing accidental excessive device for looking back said back members when bent back to expose the ends of said retaining-hooks, substantially as described.

8. In a binder, thecombination with back members hinged together, and normally-overlapping retaining-hooks carried thereby, of a spring for preventing accidental excessive opening of said back members, and a locking device consisting of a sliding plate adapted to engage the hinge of the back members to. .lock said members back to expose the ends of the retaining-hooks, substantially as described.

9. In a binder, the combination with back members hinged together and normally-overlapping retaining-hook's carried thereby, of a spring for preventing accidental excessive opening of said back members, anda locking device consisting ofa sliding plate adapted to engage the hinge of the back members to lock said members back to expose the ends of the retaining-hooks, said plate having inclined grooves 27, substantially as described.

JOHN R. BARRETT.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. JACKSON, 'HOLMES A. TILDEN. 

